The Golden Eyed Ranger
by GlasgowPotter
Summary: On a warm summer's evening, no one ever thought that the completely normal life of Lillian Peterson would change drastically. Her life is pulled from the normal and thrown into the dangers of the corrupt secrets of her town. Throw a certain Major from the Texas army into the mix and things take a new turn.


The sky wept heavily as the golden sun tried to break through the thick, dark clouds gathered in the sky. The hollow noise of the raindrops hitting off the glass of the window echoed throughout the newly empty bedroom as I gently placed the old, fragile journal inside the only box left in the room. Centuries had passed since I had last put ink to the paper within the delicate leather making the story yet to be complete but the thing is, the story had ended a long time ago. Something inside me just didn't want to give it up.

I remember the day I first pressed ink to the seemingly insignificant journal. I was sitting under a cherry tree in the tiny bit of shade in the overgrown garden behind the farm, the journal in one hand and a mug of cold water in the other. Beside me in the overgrown grass, sat the dark ink and quill waiting on me to grab them and sprawl words down but somehow, I didn't know where to begin. I had lived a relatively normal life with the only exciting thing being Papa growing the largest pumpkin the town had seen in ten years but I didn't think that would be very fitting for the journal. I pondered whether or not to tell the stories that seemed like the least important thing in the world to me at the time before throwing the journal down beside me with a sigh.

"LILLIAN." the yells of the children could be heard quite clearly as they bounded across the garden with their signature grins bold on their lips. "LILLIAN."

"Shouldn't ya' lot be inside, it's almost dark." I chuckled as I was attacked by their little hugs as they tried to squeeze me tight.

"Don't be so silly, Lillian. Mama says it'll be safer for us out here" Rose grinned with a smug smile on her face seemingly because she had answered first. "Papa even agreed"

"Safe from what?" I asked, snapping up from the ground as quickly as I could "ROSE! Safe from what?"

"Lillian, why are ya' scared? Mama said ya' would want to play" Henry, the youngest, asked as his bottom lip began to quiver.

"It's obviously not because she wanted us to play with Lillian" Rose snapped with a shake of her head. "Charlie said he saw people in the kitchen. They don't want us to be nosy"

"Not just someone, Rose" Charlie exclaimed "It was the mayor"

"The mayor?" I sighed in relief as I flopped back on to the blanket "Ya' lot had me thinking Mama and Papa were in trouble"

"Where is Harry? I thought it was his turn to play with ya' lot today?" I thought aloud as I mentally cursed our older brother for once again, shoving his responsibilities

"Papa got him another shift at Old Dean's" Rose told me almost instantly with a grin across her face most likely because she had been the first to answer. Little know it all.

"Mama says after we've finished playing, ya' 'ave to take us down to Old Dean's for dinner." Charlie told me as he tugged on my dress sleeve "And we're allowed chocolate ice cream!"

"Ya' are forgetting the part about eating our vegetables" Rose exclaimed as she shoved Charlie's shoulder causing him to groan

"Why'd ya' say that? We could 'ave gotten ice cream without eating our vegetables" he snapped, shoving Rose's shoulder back. "Ya' are such a girl"

"And ya' are such a smelly boy" Rose shouted before I stopped them from going any further and pulled them down beside me.

"If the pair of ya' don't be quiet and play nicely, neither of ya' will get ice cream. Me and Henry will eat the lot of it. Ain't that right, Henry?" I grinned as Henry jumped onto my legs.

"Every last bit" he agreed with an excited nod.

"Lil, what's this?" Charlie asked, curiously as he held up the small leather journal.

"A journal, Char. It's where ya write about life and secrets" I explained, taking the book from his hands.

"Can I 'ave one?" Rose exclaimed with her toothy grin

"S'pose" I smiled, shrugging my shoulders before closing my eyes. "Go play the lot of ya'. I'll take ya' for dinner in 'alf an hour"

Within ten minutes, Charlie had pulled me to my feet while protesting we had to go as quickly as possible because he was "starving". I swear, that little monster could have ate a horse and then still complained he wasn't full enough. I don't know where he put it all. I think we made a new record for the time it took us to reach the old inn with the way Charlie had grabbed hold of my hand and dragged me through the small town.

Old Dean's was just as busy as usual with the old drunks sitting at the bar as they struggled to keep on the high stools and reach for their drink at the same time. I don't think they would have classed their night a good one if they hadn't fallen off one of the stools at least twice. Thankfully, we managed to slip past them without a single words being said because to be honest, I wasn't in the mood to listen to the slurs of a drunk as he attempted to flirt.

"Alright, Lil?" Harry smirked, continuing to rub the glass in his hand with a cloth.

"Ya' are going to pay for this." I grumbled, pushing the three children towards the table in the back. "It was ya' turn"

"Papa got me this shift. Believe me, Lil, I would rather be with the brats that with them" he replied, motioning over to the drunks. "Anyway, it's past seven, what are ya' doing with them?"

"Mama sent them out to me cause apparently it wouldn't 'ave been safe for them to stay inside. Charlie said he saw the Mayor and someone else in the kitchen" I explained, hoping he'd know more but the look on his face told me he know about as much as I did.

"The mayor? He hates Papa!" Harry exclaimed, pushing the glass under the wooden bar. "What's he wanting?"

"That's what I wanna know" I replied, watching the three children arguing out of the corner of my eye "Get them their usual before they start fighting"

"Ya' better get back to them." Harry chuckled as I saw Henry attempt to hit Charlie over the head with one of the spoons.

"Oi,put that down" I growled as he attempted another swing. "Or I'll tell Mama"

"No! Don't tell Mama, she'll make me go to bed early every night." he whined, throwing the spoon onto the table while shaking his head.

"Well, quit misbehaving" I warned, sliding into the booth beside Charlie. "Tell Charlie ya' are sorry"

"But, Lillian, I'm not sorry." Henry whined, sticking his lower lip out.

"Henry" I warned, raising an eyebrow. "Harry can keep an eye on Charlie and Rose while I take you home to tell Mama"

"Sorry, Charlie." he grumbled, crossing his arms across his chest. "Even though, I don't mean it."

"Ya' are so lucky." I groaned to Harry as he stood at the side of the booth while placing plates onto the table. "I'd take dealing with those drunks over this lot"

"Believe me, ya' wouldn't be saying that if ya' were, Lil" Harry chuckled "And they aren't that b-"

"PETERSONS." Old Dean bellowed as he came sprint out from behind the bar in what seemed to be a panicked state "Ya' two need to see this."

"Ya' three stay right here" Harry warned as I chased after Dean as he rushed out of the doors.

The second I stepped foot outside the inn, my hand flew up to my mouth to prevent the scream escaping through my lips as my eyes landed on the sight of the farm on the hill. Through the view of the many houses that made up the village, an orange glint could be seen clearly on the side of the hill where our farm was meant to be. It was obvious that the orange wasn't just nothing, it was flames engulfing every inch of our home as the smoke blew high into the sky. Everything we knew was burning to the ground but my feet felt like they had been stuck to the ground I was stood on but as soon as I noticed Harry sprinting through the small crowd, my feet took off after him.

* * *

**If anyone is wondering why the dialogue is strange, it's meant to be showing them speaking with an accent from Texas xx  
**


End file.
